Maligro Ton Negro Lo Matar
by Okami No Yume
Summary: Vignette of Toboe's death, told from the perspective of the pack. Takes place during "High Tide, High Time."


**Maligno Ton Negro Lo Matar (The Evil Shade Of Black That Kills)**

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** I do not own Wolf's Rain. It is the property of studio BONES.

A/N: This is purely experimental. Good? Bad? You decide...oh and for the curious, the lyrics are the English translation of Toboe's song.

_ The evil shade of black, that kills _

_Yet, mystifies despite, despite defeating it _

_No longer cold, nor do you you sorrow now _

_Ohhh.. Ohhh.. my life to me is forfeit _

_That one, that one, my dearest yonder That one..._

The harsh report of gunshots echo across the desolate plain like a thunderclap.

A collective dread settles over man and wolf alike at the terrible sound, and they all rush back to Toboe and Quent, fearing the worst.

Kiba, Tsume, and Cheza are the first ones approach the horrific scene. The pup lays in the arms of the hunter that he promised to protect-and thus made the ultimate sacrifice for, their blood mingling. Tsume falls to his knees and shouts Toboe's name desperately, shaking his body, but he is already gone, and he is beginning to already grow cold and stiffen with the first signs of rigor mortis. The grey wolf sits back, and manages to choke out "Stupid kid."

Cheza and Kiba merely stand silent-a blind rage comes over the white wolf, and he rushes to confront Darcia. His scent lingers as strong here mingled with the heavy copper scent of the blood and the scent from the gunpowder of the recently fired bullets and he knows he's not far.

Tsume barely notices that he's gone, his eyes wide with shock as his mind tries to grasp the fact that Toboe's gone, and the stupid, stupid pup won't be there to see the gates of Paradise flung open with the rest of them. Cheza sits beside Toboe's body and tenderly strokes him. A single tear falls from her face, hits the earth, and for the briefest moment a single green vine springs upwards and rests against her cheek before dissipating as quickly as it sprung.

Blue and Hige are the next to arrive, and Blue in her human shape approaches them and falls to her knees before Quent, who smiles faintly at her. She manages a whispered "Don't go." She has arrived just in time to see the light go out in his eyes, to be the last thing that the old hunter sees before he passes.

Kiba returns with Hub at his side, and Hub collapses and weeps for Quent, the only friend he's had on this strange, ethereal journey that began with creatures thought to be nothing more than beasts from the pages of children's fairy tales.

Kiba merely says Toboe's name and sorrowfully places a human hand between the pup's ears in a final farewell. They all sit in silence for a time, the only sound Hub's racking, broken sobs as the snow falls around them like grey ash. With a solemn gravitas, Kiba is the first to raise his head in a mourning howl, followed by Tsume, then Hige, and then finally Blue joins her voice to theirs in unison, and it becomes a wild, primeval, hauntingly beautiful chorus that expresses their heartbreak and pain in a way that human words never could. Their collective song serves as a requiem to honor their fallen brother; Toboe who was the gentlest, the kindest, the sweetest, the most trusting and innocent of them all. He was the smallest, but also the most valiant, and they will raise their voices for him so that the gods may lift him up into the heavens to a place of exaltation for his courage and his sacrifice.

After their howls die down, they all know that they must press onward, except for Tsume, who insists on saying his goodbyes to Toboe alone, and they all accept it, knowing the grey wolf will join up with them later, and stand shoulder to shoulder with them when the final battle against Darcia draws nigh.

Meanwhile, in a place with green fields and lunar flowers and sunshine, a dusty colored wolf pup runs happily, reunited now with his beloved Granny, and he is now beyond suffering and pain, and in a place where sadness cannot touch him. He knows that he is the first to have reached Paradise.


End file.
